First Annual
Central Coast Solo Festival
September 17, 18, 25 & 26, 2026
Stanton Theater
5 Custom House Plaza • Monterey, California
Welcome to the First Annual Central Coast Solo Festival, presented by Soapbox Stageworks.
We are honored to introduce a new theatrical tradition to Monterey County—one dedicated to celebrating the extraordinary power of solo performance.
Over two festival weekends, audiences will experience six compelling one-person productions presented by award-winning storytellers, playwrights, and performers from across the United States. These artists remind us that one voice, one story, and one performer can transport us into entirely new worlds.
Whether you'll laugh, cry, reflect, or discover something unexpected about yourself, each performance has been carefully selected to celebrate courage, creativity, and the uniquely human experience.
Thank you for joining us as we launch what we hope will become an annual destination event for artists and audiences alike.
FESTIVAL WEEKEND ONE
September 17 & 18 • 7:00 PM
Written and performed by Karen Devaney
NURSE NOELLE & THE WHISPERING CATHOLICS
Inspired by the true experiences of playwright, performer, and registered nurse Karen Devaney, Nurse Noelle & the Whispering Catholics is a funny, heartfelt, and deeply moving solo performance that follows one unforgettable hospital shift. Through a cast of patients—including a Holocaust survivor, a grieving young mother, and a man confronting the AIDS epidemic—Noelle discovers that healing isn't always found in medicine, but in compassion, courage, laughter, and the extraordinary human connections that forever change us.
Written and performed by Maya Catherine Foster
LULLABIES AND LOVE STORIES
Tender, lyrical, and beautifully observed, Lullabies and Love Stories explores love in its many forms—from family and friendship to loss, hope, and the memories that stay with us long after the music fades.
Written and performed by Talia Pura
LA FEMME SHAKESPEARE
Meet Mary Sidney, an educated published author, living at time when it was shameful for those well-born to write for the public theatre, whose life perfectly mirrors the plays and
sonnets she wrote.
Based on the book, Sweet Swan of Avon by Dr. Robin Williams. Special thanks to Dr. Williams for collaborating on this script.
Talia Pura is a writer, director, actor, producer and costume designer for theatre and film. Recently, she was in The Melodrama with the Santa Fe Playhouse and costumed the Half-Life of Marie Curie for the NM Actors Lab.
FESTIVAL WEEKEND TWO
September 25 & 26 • 7:00 PM
Written and performed by Rick Wind Herrera
VAMOS A REÍR UN POCO (LET'S LAUGH A LITTLE)
Award-winning storyteller, writer, and actor Rick Wind Herrera returns with an unforgettable new solo performance.
Blending humor with heartfelt storytelling, Rick reflects on growing up in Brooklyn while preparing for the greatest adventure of his life—fatherhood. As memories of joy, struggle, and family collide, he searches for hope, healing, and laughter before welcoming his first child into the world.
Running Time: Approximately 60 minutes (no intermission)
Written by Patti Dobrowolski, Molly Thompson & Nancy Cranbourne
Story Development: Michael (Mik) Coyle
Directed by Nancy Cranbourne
POLLY'S ARMY OF ONE
Growing up gay during the 1960s, Polly learned to survive by becoming whoever everyone else needed her to be.
Through an unforgettable cast of characters—including family members, teachers, first loves, and unexpected heroes—Patti Dobrowolski delivers a funny, courageous, and deeply moving story about belonging, resilience, and embracing your authentic self.
"Come for the wolf. Stay for the pie."
Written and Performed by Kirk McGee
Directed by Corey Atkins
THE HONORABLE HERBERT PEABODY
Part physical comedy, part biting satire, The Honorable Herbert Peabody follows an earnest museum guide on opening day of a presidential-style legacy center honoring a beloved senator whose carefully polished reputation has begun to unravel.
As uncomfortable truths emerge, one ordinary man must decide whether preserving history is enough—or whether changing it begins with finding the courage to speak up.
A timely, hilarious, and thought-provoking theatrical experience.